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Message

Message Recap

Pastor Miles introduced todays parable message by describing some landscaping he did upon moving into a new house. He brought home half a dozen trees of the same kind on the same day and planted them in the same yard. Although the trees had all these things in common, they grew at different rates. One tree doubled its size, while another didnt seem to grow at all, and the rest were in between.

How could six trees receiving the same sun and water experience such a different in their rate of growth? This is because the condition of soil in each planting area was different, causing them to root themselves differently and grow differently. In todays lesson from Matthew 13:1-9, Jesus teaches that much like the soil in which we plant things, our hearts have to be ready and healthy so that we can grow.

Remember, parables are like riddles which explain something to us in a way we can understand. This book of the Royal Series, Twists and Turns, means we read what it is written, reflect on what it teaches, and then respond or act on the lesson. Here are some basic guidelines for reading parables:

Read: Describe the context of the parable. To whom is the parable being told and what situation caused it to be told?The parable is being told to the multitude.

Read: Describe the everyday illustration being used as the parable. The farmer sows seeds in four different conditions of soil.

Read: Identify the single Kingdom of God principle being taught.Seeds grow better in good ground.

In Matthew 13:3 Jesus tells a story about a sower who spreads seeds on the ground so that they will grow. Some seeds fall to the wayside and the birds eat them (verse 4). Some seeds fall in a stony place; though they grow, their roots are not very deep so they die easily under the sun (verse 5-6). Some fall among thorns, which spring up and choke them (verse 7). And finally, in verse 8, Jesus says, But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Reflect: Now we reflect on this meaning and identify what spoils your soil.

Satans lies are described as the birds.

In verse 19 Jesus talks about the wicked one who snatches away the seeds. Miles likened this to his friend who had a girlfriend. Another guy friend stole the girl away by enticing her to leave her boyfriend and be with him. Satan does the same thing by tempting us, enticing us to leave God to be with him.

This series journeys through seven literary styles of the Bible, helping us to understand Biblical truth simply. Today we look at the parable of the sower and how we can apply the story to our own spiritual state.